Harry Potter and the Trials of the Hero
by Skratch1320
Summary: The summer before Harry's 6th year transforms him into something that Dumbledore didn't think was possible (OotP spoilers) Harry/Hermione later!


Harry Potter and the Trials of the Hero  
  
Chapter One: Voices  
  
The sun slowly rose over the neighborhood of Pivet Lane, revealing the start of a new day. Everyone that resided on the street was starting to awaken. All except for a single boy who lied awake on his bed starring at the ceiling. It has been less than a week since Harry Potter had returned from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, yet since they he has only slept for a few hours. If staring at something could wear it out, he would have worn a hole straight through the roof. Each time he had attempted to sleep, he would be suddenly awakened from visions of people being killed or tortured by the hands of his nemesis, Voldemort. He sat up when he heard the alarm clock of his Uncle, Vernon Dursley. He held his forehead, entangling his fingers in his unruly raven hair. His once bright emerald eyes were mostly red from irritation. He waited for the knock on his door, the knock of his Aunt telling him to go downstairs to make breakfast.  
  
His treatment by the Dursleys changed little even though "Mad-Eye" Moody and Remus Lupin warned them. The two were supposed to be checking up on him from time to time, especially if Harry didn't send word that he was all right. Harry did receive letters from his friends, Ron and Hermione on a daily basis, starting the day after they had returned. Both of them were extremely worried about him, Ron even went as far as saying that he would help him run away to the Burrow again, somehow and Hermione offered to see if it was alright with her parents for him to stay with her. As much as he wished, he had a promise to keep. He would stay at the Dursley's for now until it was time to go back to Hogwarts.  
  
KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK  
  
"Get up, you!" said a stern voice on the other side of the door, belonging to Harry's Aunt Petunia. "Time for you to make breakfast."  
  
Harry got up from his bed and walked, yawning at least three times before even reaching the door. He opened the door to see the lanky horse faced aunt of his staring back at him with her hair in night curls still. Harry didn't acknowledge her presence. He systematically walked down the stairs and into the kitchen where he began cooking. His mind was elsewhere like it usually was whenever he was around his aunt, uncle, and cousin.  
  
Vernon sat at the table, still in his robes, drinking tea and reading the morning paper that just came. Dudley walked in not too much longer after Harry poured his uncle another cup. His weight was rivaling that of his father's. "Hurry up with the food, Potter," the boy snorted. Harry ignored him. His mind was elsewhere and did not pay attention. All he could think about is how nice it would be just to sleep, even for an hour, without his nightmares.  
  
Harry finished making breakfast and sat the plates on the table to be devoured by the Dursleys. He took a few pieces of bacon and went back up the stairs and into his room. It was then when he saw Hedwig at his windowsill. The white snowy owl pecked at the closed window with an envelope within its talon. Harry strolled over to the window and open to let her in. She immediately dropped the note on the desk and flew over to her perch. Harry fed her a treat before picking up the letter she delivered. As soon as he saw the front of the letter, he knew it was from Hermione. Apparently she was growing impatient to get a response from his for the last letter she sent. He slowly opened the letter up, expecting it to be a Howler, only to find a single white piece of parchment. He sat on his bed and began to read the letter.  
  
Dear Harry,  
  
I'm going to be honest; I am worried about you. I know I say that in every letter but I don't think it got through to you. I hope this clears things up. Ever since Ron and I left you from the train station last week, all I thought about was if you were going to be okay by yourself. The others told me that you would manage, that you are strong willed. Even if that is true, I still worry. You've been through so much, last year and the year before, that it would drive someone like me insane.  
  
I meant it in the last note. If you would want to come here and stay, I will make arrangements with my parents. I already told them everything and they are willing to help. Even if you don't want to stay with me, go to the Burrow with Ron or to Grimmauld Place with Lupin and Tonks. Staying in that house with your malevolent relatives isn't helping you, even if there is a spell to keep you safe from You-Know-Who. What is to keep you safe from them?  
  
I better go. If you need to talk to me, or anything else, I am here for you. Please right back soon.  
  
With Love  
  
Hermione  
  
He folded the letter and placed it back into the envelope in which it came in. He laid it on a stack of other notes that he had received from his friends. He got up and sat over on his desk to write a note back to her. He dipped his quill into the ink and began writing.  
  
Dear Hermione,  
  
It means a lot to me that you and Ron are worried about me but I assure that I am fine. Staying here isn't that bad since Moony and Mad-Eye had that chat with Uncle Vernon. I would love to come visit you and Ron but I made a promise to Dumbledore that I would stay here until he says it was okay to leave.  
  
Don't worry about me. The three of us will be together soon enough.  
  
Love  
  
Harry  
  
Harry folded the letter up and placed it into an envelope of his own. He wrote "Hermione Granger" on the front of the envelope and approached Hedwig.  
  
"Sorry to work you so soon, girl," he said while stroking her head. "I need you to take this to Hermione. The owl gave a single hoot before taking the letter and leaving out the window. Harry lay down on the bed once more and couldn't help but fall asleep.  
  
An evil laughter flowed throughout his mind. He saw himself in front of a burning house. All around the outside of the house laid the bodies of people that he didn't recognize. Walking among them where figures donning tattered black robes, hiding their face. They seemed to float rather than walk. The laughter became to a dark voice. "Feast my dementors. Indulge yourselves on as many of these Muggles as you like."  
  
A small cry came from the bushes near the figure that was talking. He turned and approached the brush to find a small child whimpering. The little girl was startled from seeing the man and tried to run. The man raised his wand and she floated where she stood. He moved her closer to him. "Now, now, young lady. You ought not run away from your elders." He said with a cold tone. He sat her down. Her eyes had widened and she did not blink. "Now go over there like a good muggle girl." She did what he said and walked closer to where the bodies were lying. Tears flowed from her eyes like a small waterfall yet she did not gasp for air or show any emotion. Before she knew it, she was in the grasp of a dementor. The dementor pulled her closer to its face, showing her the grotesque appearance. She snapped from her trance-like state only to let out a scream before she was silenced.  
  
Harry shot up from his slumber yelling. "YOU FUCKING BASTARD!" he cursed. His scar pulsated with pain but he ignored it. He was full of rage at the moment that pain was simple something he couldn't feel. He could still Voldemort's laughter in his head. "She was just a child." He said under his breath. Harry was trembling with anger. He could do nothing to stop him. He was stuck in a place that he didn't want to be, alienated from everyone he actually cared about only able to talk to them through mere letters. He felt responsible for the death of Cedric, and he lost the only father that he's known. What else did he have to go through before it ended, he thought to himself?  
  
"Harry Potter," said a different voice within his head, "It is time. Come to me." The voice wasn't cold but wise and sincere, like Dumbledore's.  
  
"It could be a trick," he said to himself.  
  
"It is time Harry," the voice continued. "Follow your instinct."  
  
"If it is a trap, I'm going prepared then." Harry grabbed his wand from his trunk. He opened his window and climbed out. "Follow my instinct, eh? Let's go north then." Harry began walking North, thinking that he was heading towards Voldemort. He was ready to fight and defeat him, or at least die trying.  
  
That afternoon there was a knock on the front door of Number Four Pivet Lane. Petunia answered it only to see two people she didn't want to see. A older man with an eye that never ceased to stay in one position and another man with light brown hair that was freckled gray and looked a little ill and exhausted. "We are here to talk to young Mr. Potter," said the older man.  
  
"Vernon!" She called out as the two gentlemen let themselves in. Vernon walked into the living room from the kitchen. As soon as he saw the two he got flustered in the face.  
  
"What do you people want?"  
  
"We came here like we warned you about before, Dursley," said the older man. "We are here to check up on Harry. Now step aside and let us through or I will simple have to make you."  
  
"If you think that you can barge into my home and do what you please, you are sadly mis-," Vernon ranted before being silenced.  
  
"Petrificus Totalus," Said the younger man, pointing his wand at Vernon. The man immediately ceased to speak as his entire body became motionless and fell on to the floor. His wife screamed and backed herself to the corner of the room, gripping her overgrown son.  
  
The older gentleman looked back at the younger. The younger man responded. "We are pressed for time and I didn't want to hear another word from that man."  
  
"Agreed." The two walked further into the house and up the stairs. They reached Harry's bedroom door and opened it to find that he wasn't there. All they saw was his belongings and an open window. The younger man ran to the window and peered outside. "Lupin, can you smell anything?"  
  
"No." He replied. "My senses are hindered since it's a new moon."  
  
"His wand is also gone," said the older man. "Least we know that he is not unarmed."  
  
"I don't know if that is a good thing or a bad thing really, Moody. If he uses magic, the ministry will expel him from Hogwarts."  
  
"Dumbledore will not let that happen. Now that Fudge has came to the realization of You-Know-Who being reborn, I don't even think he would allow it."  
  
"I hope so." Lupin said after bringing his head back into the room. "I'm heading to the Burrow. Perhaps he's going there."  
  
"Good idea. I will head to Hogsmeade and take the carriage to the school to tell Dumbledore personally. If anything arises, you know what to do." Lupin nodded to his comrade and with a loud pop, he vanished. Moody walked back downstairs where Petunia and Dudley desperately tried getting Vernon to respond. "It's no use, he's in a full body binding curse. No muggle can break through that. He'll come to in an hour or so, depending on however long Lupin wanted him out of the way."  
  
"You fiends!" yelled Petunia. "How dare you do this to him and leave him like this. How dare you enter our peaceful home and disrupt us! How dare-"  
  
"How dare you even try and confront me on manners when you and your wretched muggle family have none." Moody said, walking towards her, intimidating her. "Before you even fathom to try and speak to me about anything of the sort, you need to rethink what you have done with that boy that you kept upstairs away from your muggle life. I bet you don't even know he is missing, not that you would care. For all that you know, he could be dead and you would continue on with your lives like he never existed." Petunia began to shiver from fright as Moody leaned over to stare at her face to face. She was appalled by his scarred face and roaming eye. "For all I know, you could have done something to him which means I have to end you."  
  
"We didn't do anything to him. He was upstairs last thing we knew." She cried.  
  
"For you benefit, I hope you are right, because if I find out otherwise, you won't be leaving this house again." Within a moment, Moody was gone with the same popping noise as what Lupin made. 


End file.
